Chapter Six
JOEY
“Joey. It’s so good to see you.”
“Mr. Moore, how are you?”
I adjust the basket in my arm, shaking the general store owner’s hand.
“Can’t complain, Joey. How’s that little Max of yours?”
I smile at him. “He’s great. Happiest kid you could imagine.”
“Bring him by sometime. I’ll give him a cookie from the bakery.”
“You’re too good to us, Mr. Moore. Thanks.”
“Anything for my favorite customers.”
I smile at him, waving at his retreating form. I’m sure he says that about all his customers, but it makes shopping with a kid much easier. Instead of asking for everything in the store, he is more focused on eating his treat.
Paying for everything, I make the short trip home.
Thank God for Kade because if I couldn’t borrow a truck from the ranch, I don’t know how I’d get to and from work.
I heave all of the bags into my arms and walk up the stairs to my garage apartment. It’s nothing fancy; my parents built it to help me out after Max was born. It makes it easy on themto watch him, and I pay minimal rent to them. I refuse to live here for free.
My favorite face in the world greets me as I push open the front door.
“You’re home!”
Max runs up to me, hugging my legs.
“Hi, Baby.” I set the bags on the floor and scoop him up. “I missed you today.”
“I drew you a picture.”
“Oh, yeah? What else did you do with Uncle Chase?”
A look comes over his face. “I love you, Mommy.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. That sweetI love you, Mommyisn’t fooling me. “Did you do something you weren’t supposed to?”
“Nofing.” I love his sweet voice and how he’s still stumbling over some words.
“Is Uncle Chase going to tell me something different?”
His shoulders shrug as Chase grabs the grocery bags to help me put them away.
“Tell her what you did,” Chase says.
He sucks in a deep breath. “I watched TV.”
“You know you’re not allowed to watch TV,” I say, giving him a stern look.
“But Uncle Chase was in the bathroom forever,” he whines.
“Hey!” Chase shouts from the kitchen. “It wasn’t forever.”
